Paper-clip.



No. 876,667. PATENTED JAN.14 1908.

M. E. THOMPSON.

PAPER CLIP.A

APPLICATION* FILED DEG. 7, 1906;

MELVIN E. THOMPSON, OF PORT ALLEGANY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PAPER-CLIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application 'filed December '7. 1906. Serial No. 346.782.

To all whom et may concern:

Be it known that l, MELvIN E. THOMP- soN, citizen of the United States, residing at Port Allegany, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Clips, of which the following is a specification. The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of clip which will accommodate itself to different thicknesses and widths of loose leaves, cards, writing pads, or other packages which it is intended that my improved clip shall bind together.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effectingl the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clip, illustrating one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating a slightly modified form. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the clip, illustrating another modification.l Figs. 4 and 5 are detail fragmentary views illustrating still other modifications.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the viewsof the drawings by the same reference characters.

My improved clip comprises two main jaws designated A and B, respectively, each of said jaws being extensible laterally under spring tension so as to accommodate the clipfor different widths of sheets or other packages to be bound together by the clip, and which are also integrally connected together` at one end under spring tension so as to have a tendency to move towards each other and clamp the package between them.

In the preferred form of manufacturing or producing my improved clip, I use a single strand of spring wire, which is first crimpedA or bent at an intermediate point, as indicated at l, and is then extended from this bend divergingly to form the two members 2 1. These latter are returned upon themselves, as indicated at 3, toform the spaced apart members 4 and 4a which are continued backwardly beyond the Erst crimp 1 and are olf-set, as indicated at 5, then continued in parallel relation to produce the portions 6 and 6a. The parts 6-6a are bent outwardly or away from each other, as indicatedat 7, to produce the oppositely extending parts 8 and 8a which are again bent, as indicated at 9, and extended outwardly to produce the parts l() and 10a of the loops which are completed by bending the wire, as indicated at the points l1, and then returning the two ends back past the parts 8 and 8a, so as to produce two main side members l2 and l2a of the jaw-B. These main side members 12--12EL are bent, as indicated at 13, and the two extremities of the wire extend towards each other and may be overlapped if desired and constitute the inwardly extending ends 14 and 14a that may be inclosed by the sleeve 15.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the jaw A embodies spaced spring arms that are constituted mainly by the parts 6 and 6a, 4. and 4a, these spring arms being connected together by the portions 2 2a and so arranged that the said arms of the j aw A may be sprung outwardly away from each other in a direction coincident with the plane of the jaws. As the main members 12--126L of the other jaw B have their inwardly extending extremities 14E- 14a loosely mounted within the projecting sleeve l5, and are connected to the portions of the j aw A by means of the loops formed by the parts 10 10L and 12-12, it is evident that both jaws of my improved clip are extensible laterally, the extension, however, being always maintained under spring tension, owing to the construction of the parts and the material of which the clip is formed. Broadly speaking, then, it will be seen that my improved clip comprises two jaws A-B, each of which is formed of spring material and are susceptible of lateral or sidewise extension, while at the same time they are susceptible to movement away from each other, at their free ends, in a direction at right angles to the lateral extension.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the jaw, there designated A, may have a somewhat different shape, although it possesses the same characteristic of the jaw A. It is formed with a main cross bar 16 from which the two main side arms 17-17a extend and are provided at their opposite ends with oppositely extending portions 18`18a integrally connected with the jaw B by means of the spring loops 19a, these latter causing the required spring of the two jaws away from each other and towards each other at their free ends. In this modification, the main side members of the jaw B are designated 2W 'and are bent inwardly towards each other at'their free ends, as indicated at 21-2l1, the extremities being curled, as indicated at 22, to form in effect rings which have a sliding action with the other extremity, so that the two main arms 20-20u may be sprung away from each other against the spring tension exerted by the two arms 17-17a of the j aw A.

In illustrating one application' of my improved clip, reference is to be had to Fig. l, which represents the clip as engaging a series of loose leaves and holding them together without danger of accidental displacement. C designates the pad or package formed by this plurality of leaves, andit will be seen that the loops, which l shall designate D and E, extend along the side edges of the leaves, while the free end of the jaw B, which is formed by the sleeve 15 and its inclosed parts or by the two overlapped and curled ends 2l-2la, if that -form of clip be used, binds against one face of the series of leaves, while the free end of the jaw or tongue A (or Av as the case may be) engages the opposite face of the package. The spring tension exerted by the free ends of the two jaws is obtained by means of the loops D and E, while the lateral tension which accommodates the clip to leaves or packages of difl'erent widths, is obtained by the lateral springing members of the jaw A or A and the adjustable or loose connection between the extremities of the jaw B or B.

As indicated in Fig. 3, inwardly extending ends of one of the jaws, may be connected together by means of a loop band 23 provided at its end with apertures through which the extremities of the wire ends project. These extremities may be either upset to prevent them from coming out, or they may be connected together by means of a spiral spring.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, one jaw of the clip may be provided with a bail 2li which may be grasped by ones thumb and finger so as to open the clip. The ends 24JL of this form of bail, which is preferably'constructed of wire, may be fastened within the tube or sleeve l5 which serves to incase the two inwardly pro jecting ends of the wires forming the free end of the jaw, or they may be secured in any other desired manner to said jaw. y

As illustrated in Fig.v 5, the bail may be formed by extending the tube or sleeve 15b, as indicated at 25.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A paper clip formed of a single strip of spring material and comprising a pair of jaws spring pressed towards each other, both of said jaws yielding laterally to accommodate packages of different widths, one of said ljaws yielding laterally under tension, while the opposite jaw comprises spaced side pieces which are controlled in their lateral yielding by the spring tension in the first mentioned jaw and which are provided at their extremities with lateral projections having a sliding connection with each other.

z. A paper clip formed of a single piece of spring material and comprising a pair of jaws spring pressed toward each other, one of said jaws comprising spaced connected side pieces yielding laterally under tension and terminating with oppositely extending members carrying loops at their extremities, the said loops being arranged in a plane at approximately right angles to the plane of the jaw, while the opposite jaw comprises spaced and approximately parallel side pieces extending from the before mentioned loops and provided at their extremities with lateral extensions having a sliding connection with each other whereby the side pieces of the second. mentioned jaw maintain their parallel relation when the first mentioned j aw yields laterally.

ln testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MEtviN E, THOMPSON. [L s] Witnesses M. N. ALLEN, Oscim TrronEN. 

